Olympic Games 2016

Construction, thy name is Olympics. Those who remember the last-minute dash in Athens in 2004 and recent visitors to 2008 host city Beijing might think that the five Olympic rings represent cranes, forklifts, hard hats, power tools and nuts and bolts. That, thankfully, won't be an area of concern should the Summer Olympics land in Los Angeles for a third time, down the road in 2016.

For those arguing that President Obama is neglecting important work by flying to Denmark in support of Chicago's Olympics bid, the White House has settled on an answer: You don't think America should host the Olympics? A White House aide trotted out that argument against Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond of Missouri, who said this week that the president should stay put and consult his generals about the state of the war in Afghanistan. "What does Sen. Bond have against the Olympics coming to America?"

My cup of excitement runneth over for the 2016 Chicago Olympics. Finally, something in the Olympic movement makes sense. To hell with fiscally responsible Games, the kind the Los Angeles committee was proposing. To hell with hesitating over paying billions for dozens of new structures, which, in the case of many Olympics, end up as pawn shops and places with sheets hanging from the windows. How stupid to go back to the same old sports venues.

President Obama is dispatching an advance team to Copenhagen to pave the way for a possible personal appearance before the International Olympic Committee next month. The decision doesn't necessarily mean Obama will be able to make an in-person appeal for his adopted hometown of Chicago, which is bidding to host the Olympics in 2016, a senior advisor to the president said Saturday. But the president wants to make sure he has the option to go, in case he can get away from healthcare discussions to make the trip.

Los Angeles organizers say they will announce plans today to bid for the 2016 Olympics, a campaign that, if successful, would give the city its third Summer Games and the United States its first in 20 years. Los Angeles was the scene of the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984; no other U.S. city has served as host more than once.

A multilayered package of financial guarantees designed to satisfy demands of the U.S. Olympic Committee was unveiled Friday in Chicago by city officials alongside leaders of the city's bid for the 2016 Summer Games. Worst-case financial scenario for Chicago: $500 million.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair may have revolutionized the Olympic bid process by lobbying intently for London in its successful quest to play host to the 2012 Games. Now, with the U.S. Olympic Committee weighing a 2016 bid and Los Angeles among five American cities under consideration, the game plan that delivered the Games to London a year ago Thursday has become a template -- and challenge -- for U.S. officials. Traditionally, U.S.

Remember Peter Ueberroth, the man who pulled the Olympic movement up by its bootstraps in 1984 by organizing a Los Angeles Olympics that had us all beaming like members of the chamber of commerce? Well, he is back in the middle of the Olympic movement, still pulling on bootstraps. Ueberroth, 68 now, is chief executive of the United States Olympic Committee and is in the catbird seat for much of the decision-making that could set the course for the Games of 2016.

Arnold, unveiled. The Los Angeles bid committee for the 2016 Summer Olympics brought Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on board to make it a statewide campaign, and he vowed Friday to do whatever it takes to land the Games here for a third time. "I don't think we have a specific program yet laid out of what I need to do," he said, still using crutches as he recovers from a skiing accident in late December. "But as I made it clear, whatever it is, I will do everything. I will fly anywhere....

Last week, it was fortune cookies passed out on the Blue Line by L.A. Olympic bid officials with the fortune saying, "Los Angeles 2016: Where the world comes together." Here, it was a worker at the taxi stand at O'Hare International Airport, wearing the button pinned on a jacket: Chicago 2016. Details, big and small, all to promote the respective bids for the 2016 Summer Games during visits by a United States Olympic Committee evaluation team.

Thousands of spectators cheered Olympic medalists Michael Phelps, Dara Torres and Kobe Bryant on Wednesday as the city of Chicago got a high-profile boost to its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Oprah Winfrey was taping the season premiere for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" at a downtown park, and she invited 150 U.S. Olympic athletes to join her. The athletes were introduced under a shower of red, white and blue confetti. Winfrey intends the show to be both a welcome home for athletes who competed in Beijing and also a chance to showcase Chicago as the city bids for the 2016 Games, said Harpo Productions.

My cup of excitement runneth over for the 2016 Chicago Olympics. Finally, something in the Olympic movement makes sense. To hell with fiscally responsible Games, the kind the Los Angeles committee was proposing. To hell with hesitating over paying billions for dozens of new structures, which, in the case of many Olympics, end up as pawn shops and places with sheets hanging from the windows. How stupid to go back to the same old sports venues.

Peter Ueberroth tore open the white, business-sized envelope and silently read the slip of paper it contained. His eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. Probably without realizing it, he glanced twice to his left. Leaders of the group that had hoped to secure the 2016 Summer Olympics for Los Angeles were seated to his right. They knew they weren't about to get good news.

At the 11th hour, it all comes down to one hour. The long-and-winding campaign between Chicago and Los Angeles for the U.S. bid city for the 2016 Summer Games will be decided here today by the 11-member U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors following presentations by the finalists and question-and-answer sessions. Chicago is up first, and Los Angeles is second. The presentation portion for each group is scheduled to last 40 minutes with 20 minutes allowed for questions from the panel.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Tuesday allowing the state to cover up to $250 million in cost overruns for the 2016 summer Olympics if Los Angeles wins the games. The measure fulfills the International Olympic Committee's requirement that $500 million be available for potential cost overruns. The Los Angeles City Council pledged the other $250 million last month. Los Angeles is competing against Chicago to be the United States' choice to hold the games. On Saturday, the U.S.

A multilayered package of financial guarantees designed to satisfy demands of the U.S. Olympic Committee was unveiled Friday in Chicago by city officials alongside leaders of the city's bid for the 2016 Summer Games. Worst-case financial scenario for Chicago: $500 million.

Peter Ueberroth tore open the white, business-sized envelope and silently read the slip of paper it contained. His eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. Probably without realizing it, he glanced twice to his left. Leaders of the group that had hoped to secure the 2016 Summer Olympics for Los Angeles were seated to his right. They knew they weren't about to get good news.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Tuesday allowing the state to cover up to $250 million in cost overruns for the 2016 summer Olympics if Los Angeles wins the games. The measure fulfills the International Olympic Committee's requirement that $500 million be available for potential cost overruns. The Los Angeles City Council pledged the other $250 million last month. Los Angeles is competing against Chicago to be the United States' choice to hold the games. On Saturday, the U.S.

Last week, it was fortune cookies passed out on the Blue Line by L.A. Olympic bid officials with the fortune saying, "Los Angeles 2016: Where the world comes together." Here, it was a worker at the taxi stand at O'Hare International Airport, wearing the button pinned on a jacket: Chicago 2016. Details, big and small, all to promote the respective bids for the 2016 Summer Games during visits by a United States Olympic Committee evaluation team.

The political chess game, Olympic style, continued in Los Angeles and Chicago on Thursday -- in front of the cameras and behind the scenes. Los Angeles and Chicago are the finalists to become the U.S. bid city for the Summer Games in 2016, and an evaluation team from the U.S. Olympic Committee was in Los Angeles, meeting with officials from the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games at UCLA.